There Is Something in Our Ceiling

There was in Meiganga – I know it. We’ve since left, and I can now post this because we have better internet…it’s posted as I wrote it a week ago (in the present tense).

Nearly every night, there is a scratching, clawing, running noise coming from our ceiling. At times, even there is gentle squeaking.

Something is alive up there.

Occasionally when we hear the noises, Katie takes her “poker stick” (that is, an old curtain rod) and gently taps the wood-paneled ceiling. It stops making noise. There is a lot of space up there – so there’s no telling how big this creature is.

Katie thinks it’s a lizard of some sort. I’m not totally convinced – my mind wavers from lizard (because I hope it’s nothing bigger or meaner) to something much bigger and meaner, probably with sharp teeth and a penchant for human blood.

We’ll add this creature, yet to be named, to our list of animals who have inhabited our dwellings this year.

In Durban, our home was called the same by the evil-looking but apparently harmless Tailless Whip Scorpions, the banana-loving sink-and-refrigerator-sitting Vervet Monkeys, the early wake-up call Egyptian Geese, bugs, bug-eating geckos, and four different types of ants.

In Midrand, our house was also the house for Felix, our friend Christine’s cat. He’d come in through the open window at night, traipse from my nightstand over me to Katie, at least once stepping full on my face without waking me up. Then there were the Grey Go-Away birds and Hadida Ibises. They didn’t live in our house per se, but their call was so loud it sure seemed like it. If you’re at all curious about the Go-Away birds’ name…yes, it is because they are very loud and you just want them to go away.

Here in Meiganga, it’s Ceiling-Resident-Who-Has-Yet-To-Be-Named, and crickets in the sink and shower. The other day we found ants in the shower, too – a lot of them. Katie thinks there are bats in the attic as well.

I’m wondering if we should make and alliance with them against scary-unknown-creature-of-untold-size-and-ferocity-who-lives-above-our-heads.